Although the holiday gift-giving season is drawing to a close, one of the most enjoyable and personal gifts you can make for friends and family is delicious and easy-to-make homemade gluten-free candy. In candy recipes like this one, no one will ever miss the gluten because they are naturally gluten-free. I had never really had praline before, but when I found myself in need of some for another recipe, I scoured the web looking for a simple recipe. I considered making macadamia praline, but in the end decided to go with the Southern classic original- an almond praline. Although some caramelized sugar recipes are too sweet for me, this crunchy, sheer sugar candy with its hint of salt providing the perfect compliment appealed to me more than I would have thought possible. It would be perfect for a gift or for serving at a simple movie-watching-party at home. If you’re making it for guests, though, you probably want to double or triple the recipe- this stuff is addicting!

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil on medium-high heat. Shake pan to distribute sugar evenly. Let it boil at least seven minutes or until the sugar turns a light amber color. Throw in the almonds and salt and continuously mix with a wooden spoon until sugar turns dark amber. Pour carefully onto the sprayed wax paper on the cookie sheet so it forms an even layer. Let cool.

You can break the praline sheet into whatever size you like for snacking, or use a food processor to break up into smaller pieces for recipes.